Mum laughed then saw my paper with the list.
‘Things I want to change,’ I said.
‘Oh but not your hair, your lovely hair!’ She read down the list. ‘Tell you what, though. You can decorate your bedroom if you like. It’s needed doing for a while now.’
‘Really? Can I?’
‘Pick some paint colours and the boys can give you a hand painting. Then we’ll look in the Curtain Exchange for curtains. They won’t be new but they have a great selection there and we’re bound to find something you like. Or we could go to the market and get some fabric and make them ourselves.’
Fantastic. It’s a start.
Then I looked at the patchwork of colours on the wall opposite me. ‘But, Mum, what about the kitchen? You’ve been wanting to do that for ages.’
‘Oh, that can wait,’ she said. ‘I’ve got used to it in a funny sort of way. No. It’s decided. Lucy gets a new bedroom.’
I couldn’t wait to get started. ‘I’ll call Izzie and she can help me choose colours,’ I said. ‘If you can’t find the circumstances you want, make them. I like that.’
I ran into the hallway to phone Iz.
‘Don’t try to change everything in one go!’ called Mum. ‘Remember, he who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom.’
I stuck my head back round the door. ‘I know. And Rome wasn’t built in a day. See, Mum, you’re not the only one round here who knows quotes. By the way, where did all that Oxfam stuff go?’
‘Back in the cupboard under the stairs. Why? “What are you up to?”’
‘This is the new me. I’m going to make myself some new gear. Just you wait. That halter neck top was just the beginning.’
Mum laughed as I ran off to the phone.
Chapter 7
Liar, Liar,
Pants on Fire
‘Let’s go over to Nesta’s this afternoon,’ said Izzie. ‘Her mum has loads of fab interior design magazines. I saw them in their living-room. We can browse through … Lucy, Lucy? Are you there?’
‘Yes, yes, I’m here,’ I said. ‘Sorry. I dropped the phone.’
Ohmigod. Nesta’s. I know I’ve got to go some time, now that we seem to be officially a threesome. But Nesta’s? What if Tony’s there? Part of me is dying to see him again. Part of me is dreading it. What if Nesta and Izzie suss me out? I’m bound to go pink if he’s there and I never was much good at hiding anything from Iz. But then again, he might not be there. Either way, I can find out a bit more about him. Oh decisions, decisions, decisions.
‘Izzie?’ I said seriously.
‘Yes, Lucy?’ she said seriously then laughed.
‘Do you fancy Tony?’
‘God no. Not my type at all. Too pretty pretty boy. And he’s a bit too sure of himself, you know what I mean?’
‘Yeah,’ I sighed with relief.
‘Why, do you fancy him?’ she asked.
‘Course not,’ I lied. ‘Too pretty pretty boy.’
Liar, liar, pants on fire, said a voice in my head.
‘So, shall we go over to Nesta’s?’ Izzie asked again.
‘OK,’ I said. ‘I’ll come to your house later and we can go together.’ Eek. Er. The new brave me. If I plaster on a load of foundation, perhaps no one’ll notice if I blush.
Nesta’s flat is amazing. She lives on the ground floor of a detached Victorian property near Highgate. One of those places you hear estate agents describe as having character and original features. Lovely old cornicing in the hallway and stained-glass windows.
‘Are you OK, Lucy?’ Nesta asked, taking our coats. You’re looking a bit pale.’
‘Oh, I’m fine,’ I said, immediately reddening under my matt factor 16. ‘I like your flat.’
‘Wait until you see the rest of it,’ Nesta said proudly. ‘I’ll give you the tour. You’ve already seen it, Izzie, so make yourself at home.’
She led us into a large room with French windows at the back. It looked warm and welcoming with deep red walls and curtains and plush brown velvet sofas. The overall look was a mix of Eastern and old, stylish and comfortable.
Izzie helped herself to a pile of magazines by the fireplace and flopped down on a sofa while Nesta led me into a country style kitchen-diner at the side.
‘It’s huge in here,’ I said, staring around. ‘You don’t often find flats this big.’
‘I know,’ said Nesta. ‘Dad likes the big old rooms with high ceilings and the houses like that were out of his price range. He says we were lucky to find a flat like this with three bedrooms.’
She led me out of the kitchen, down the corridor and opened a door. ‘Mum and Dad’s room.’
I peeked in. ‘Are they here?’
‘No,’ said Nesta. ‘Dad’s in America and Mum’s on late shift.’
‘Nice,’ I said as I looked at their bedroom. A big square room done in honey golds with soft muslin at a bay window overlooking the garden.
Back out in the corridor hung black and white photographs of bleak landscapes – mountains and sea against dramatic skies, each one beautifully framed.
‘Who took these?’ I asked. ‘They’re great.’
‘Dad. It’s one of his hobbies,’ said Nesta, opening the next door. ‘Tony’s room.’
I trooped in after her feeling like I was spying. The room was done in greys and blues and he was very tidy for a boy. His books and papers were neatly stacked on his computer desk. Steve and Lal’s rooms always look like a bomb has hit them. Then I saw the posters on his wall. All the latest girl band babes plus a couple of sci-fi cartoon heroines with hour-glass figures.
‘Tony likes girls,’ laughed Nesta when she saw me staring.
‘Did your mum decorate?’ I asked.
Nesta nodded. ‘She did an interior design course before she was a newsreader. Says it’s always good to have something to fall back on. She reckons you have a limited time working as a presenter in telly. They keep hiring younger and younger presenters and she says oldies like her can get thrown on the scrap heap at any time.’
‘You’re so lucky to live somewhere like this,’ I said. I was really impressed.’She’s got a great eye for colour, your mum.’
‘You’ve got a good eye as well, Lucy’ said Nesta. You always dress in colours that suit you and that halter neck you made was fabulous.’
I felt really chuffed. That was the nicest thing Nesta had ever said to me. I suddenly warmed to her and decided it would be all right to ask the question I’d been dying to ask ever since I met Tony. Where is his mum?
Just as I plucked up the courage, we heard the front door open. My heart began to race. Oh, please don’t let it be him. Please don’t let it be him and he find me standing in his bedroom.
We heard footsteps coming down the corridor and a moment later, Tony appeared. He looked starded to see us.
‘Just giving Lucy the tour,’ said Nesta.
Tony grinned. ‘Only too happy to come home to find a pretty girl in my bedroom. Hi, Lucy.’
He remembered my name. Oh, God. And he gets better-looking every time I see him.
‘Hi.’ I could feel myself going puce and prayed my make-up was doing its job.
‘So how’s the search for the mystery man going?’ he asked. ‘The one with the, er … hair.’
‘Er … I haven’t seen him again …’ I muttered.
‘He’ll turn up,’ said Nesta. ‘But we need a plan. To get Lucy noticed. You like girls, Tone. What do you look for? What do you find attractive?’
Tony looked deep into my eyes as he thought about his answer. ‘First I like girls who are funny. Who can make me laugh. And girls who know who they are,’ he said finally, ‘you know, who know what they want and where they’re going. Confidence, I suppose. It’s a real turn-on.’
Girls who know who they are. Confidence. That’s the last thing I needed to hear. I glanced over at Nesta, hoping she’d shut up or change the subject or something, and I could swear she was laughing. I bet she’s guessed t
hat it’s Tony I like and she’s told him. He’s probably having a laugh as well.
Izzie came in to join us and the three of them spent ages blabbing on about how to get noticed by boys. I felt like I’d frozen inside.
Suddenly I wanted to go home. To our mismatched walls and my baby pink bedroom. And my mum.
Tips for getting noticed by the opposite sex
Nesta’s
Be blindingly beautiful. There’s no such thing as a plain girl only one who can’t be bothered. Lippie, good sunglasses and anyone can be a Babe.
Wear heels to make your legs look longer.
Get a Wonderbra.
Always have clean shiny hair.
Stand up straight. Don’t slouch. It’s the first thing they teach at model school. Good posture makes you look more confident and makes your body look slimmer.
Izzie’s
Relax. Boys hate clingy or desperate.
Make eye contact, then smile.
Find out his interests then ask him about them.
Laugh at his jokes.
Don’t be too available. Play hard to get for a while as boys like a challenge.
Tony’s
Be confident. Don’t whinge on about what you don’t like about yourself.
Look fit. Boys respond when they like what they see.
Flirt outrageously then go home, it will leave him wanting more.
Don’t smoke. It makes your breath stink as well as your clothes and hair.
Lucy’s
Pray for a miracle.
Grow another six inches.
Chapter 8
Giving Nesta
a Second Chance
‘I’m sure she wouldn’t do anything like that,’ said Mum after I’d blurted out all my worst fears about Tony when I got home later that day. ‘Nesta seems like a really nice girl.’
Mums are a peculiar species. Sympathetic when you don’t expect it and unsupportive when you do.
‘She was laughing at me, Mum, I swear she was. And she kept asking him what he liked about girls. Then Izzie joined in. And they were all going on about how to get a boy. It was so embarrassing.’
‘So you really like this Tony, do you?’
I nodded, turning my usual bright purple.
‘How old is he?’
‘Seventeen,’ I said.
‘Well, if he’s got any sense at all, he’ll like you too.’
‘Yeah but it’s like, I’m Nesta’s friend. His kid sister’s friend. How am I ever going to get him to take me seriously?’
Suddenly I felt awkward talking about it all to Mum. I should be discussing this with Izzie. But that was out of the question.
‘You won’t ever say, will you, Mum? You know, that I like Tony. Not to anyone. Not Steve or Lal or Nesta or Izzie or anyone.’
‘Course not if you don’t want me to. But I don’t really understand why Nesta and Izzie can’t know. They are your friends.’
I pulled a face.
‘Why the face?’ asked Mum.
I shrugged. ‘Since Nesta came, it’s like her and Izzie are friends and I’m the odd one out.’
‘And how do you feel about that?’ she asked, going into shrink mode. I felt like one of her patients. I’ve heard her come out with the ‘and how do you feel?’ line a hundred times when she’s been on the phone to one of them.
‘I feel left out,’ I said.
‘I’m sure you’re imagining it,’ said Mum. ‘Izzie will always be your friend. And I think Nesta wants to be too if you’ll let her.’
‘You don’t understand,’ I said.
I felt cross. How could she know what it had been like lately?
I wasn’t going to say any more.
‘Well how do you think Nesta feels?’ asked Mum. ‘It can’t have been easy for her, starting a new school, new area and everything.’
‘Oh, she’s fine. Her life is completely together. She lives in an amazing flat. All the boys fancy her. And now she has Izzie.’
I felt as if I was going to cry. Everyone cared more about Nesta Williams than they did about me. I bit my bottom lip. I wasn’t going to blub. Not in front of Mum. No one understands. And Tony likes girls who know who they are and what they want and I still don’t have a clue. And there’s no one to talk to any more.
I picked up Mum’s Good Housekeeping magazine and started leafing through it. She got the message. Counselling session over.
She started tidying up around me and as she moved things off the kitchen table, she put her hand on her cards.
‘Angel Card?’ she asked with a grin. Now even she was laughing at me. It wasn’t funny.
‘No thanks,’ I grumbled. ‘Those stupid cards have got me into enough trouble as it is.’
‘Suit yourself,’ said Mum and went upstairs.
When she’d gone, I noticed she’d left the cards on the table. I stuck my tongue out at them. But then I couldn’t resist. Just one more to see what it said. I picked them up, shuffled and chose one.
If you want a friend, be a friend, it said.
Arggghhhh. I threw the card down. This was getting spooky. They always seemed to say just the right thing. If you want a friend, be a friend. That was it. I hadn’t exactly gone out of my way to be Nesta’s friend. I’d been so busy thinking that she’d stolen Izzie from me that I hadn’t even thought about how I’d come across to her.
And I suppose Mum was right. It can’t have been easy for her starting a new school where everyone already knows each other.
OK, Nesta Williams, I thought. One more chance. I will be a friend to you.
And see what happens.
I went up to my room and had a good think about what I could do to be more of a friend to Nesta.
Make her a cake. No, that’s silly. Anyway she’s always on a diet.
Invite her over for a film night with Steve and Lal. No. Lal will only drool over her.
I know. I’ll organise a girlie night. Izzie and I often have them, well used to have them, we haven’t done one for ages. We can put on face-packs and do manicures and do each other’s hair. Nesta’ll like that with the Clothes Show coming up. And I’ll be really really nice. In fact, I’ll even be sweet, seeing as I seem to be so good at it.
I looked into my purse to see how much money I had left then popped out to the local chemist so I had everything in.
I got an avocado face-pack, some purple nail polish as Nesta likes that, hair conditioner and last of all some Häagen-Dazs pecan as I know it’s Nesta’s favourite. And some Flakes because they’re Izzie’s favourite and I can’t forget her in all this. And Mum said we can send out for pizza. Excellent.
When I got home from the shops, I went to my computer and designed an invite on e-mail to send to both of them.
Dear Izzie/Nesta
You are invited to a girls’ night at Lucy’s house tomorrow night at 6 o’clock. Bring: make-up bags, nail polish, hair stuff, favourite CDs and yourselves. I’ve got the pizza and ice-cream.
I pressed the send button and waited for their replies.
Chapter 9
Bor-ing
Sundays
I got up the next day and went to check my incoming mail.
Nothing. That’s strange. I know for a fact that Izzie always looks to see if she’s got any e-mails first thing in the morning. What’s going on?
At eleven o’clock, I phoned Izzie’s house. No reply. Only Mrs Foster’s message on the machine: ‘I’m afraid we’re unable to take your call at present. Please call later.’
I called Nesta.
‘Hi, is that little Lucy?’ said Tony.
Gulp. ‘Yes. No. Sorry. I mean yes but I’m not little,’ I said.
He laughed at the other end, ‘OK. Lovely Lucy, then. You want Nesta?’
‘Yes, please.’
‘Not here. She went off somewhere with some guy from your school. Michael I think he was called.’
‘Was Izzie with them?’
‘Don’t think so. Shall I tell he
r you called?’
‘Please,’ I said. ‘Thank you.’
‘And, Lucy?’
‘Yes?’
‘I think small girls are cute,’ he said, then he hung up.
When did I get so polite? Please. Thank you. Sorry. So much for my dazzling conversation. He must think I’m stupid. Why didn’t I think of something brilliant to say? He likes girls who are funny. I could have told him my Scottish joke.
What’s the difference between Bing Crosby and Walt Disney?
Bing sings but Walt disn’y.
But he did call me lovely Lucy. And he thinks small girls are cute. Maybe there’s hope after all.
Sundays. What to do? It’s such a boring day. And it’s raining.
I had a quick look at my homework. My project for Miss Watkins stared back at me from my desk.
What makes me ‘me’?
What are my interests? Nesta’s brother, Tony.
What do I want? To snog Tony.
What are my goals in life? To snog Tony.
What am I? Shallow I suppose, since those are my main goals. Probably not ones that will impress Miss Watkins or Mrs Allen either.
OK. Snog Tony and bring about world peace. That sounds better.
What would I like to do as a career? Still dunno.
Never mind, we’ve got a week or so left yet. I’ll think about it later.
I went downstairs and flopped on the sofa in front of the telly. Steve and Lal were squabbling over the channel changer. Steve wanted to watch a DVD of The Matrix and Lal wanted to watch another repeat of Star Trek.
I couldn’t be bothered to join in and stake my claim. There was nothing on I wanted to watch anyway. Where was Izzie? I hope she hadn’t gone off doing something with Nesta without me again.
‘What can I do?’ I asked, going into the kitchen where Mum was busy preparing some sort of weird nutloaf thing for lunch.
Mates, Dates and Inflatable Bras Page 5